While Social Democratic Party (SDE) chairman Jevgeni Ossinovski was pleased with the 2019 state budget bill passing its second reading on Wednesday night, he admitted that due to the ongoing foreign policy stalemate, the government is currently still living one day at a time.

"No doubt the second reading of the state budget bill went as planned and agreed," Ossinovski said to ERR on Thursday. "In that regard, it appears that the coalition concurs in wanting to continue cooperation in other matters. But it naturally isn't worth getting overly ahead of things, as it is clear that in regard to holding Estonia's foreign policy on course, the continuing situation remains without a definitive solution."

The SDE chairman noted that there have been mixed signals in connection with this issue as well, such as from the opposition Reform Party regarding whether or not they will support the UN Global Compact on Migration or not. "So we are taking things one day at a time," he added.

In a political statement delivered on Wednesday night, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Centre) said that with the passing of the second reading of the state budget, the political crisis has been overcome. "The Riigikogu's support of the passing of the second reading of the 2019 state budget demonstrates that the tensions that had sprung up in the government have been resolved by now," he said.

Ossinovski stressed that the Social Democrats have not changed their position on the migration framework. "We continue to stick with the demand that Estonia cannot change the course of Estonian foreign policy at the demand of the Pro Patria Party, which changed its position due to cheap populism."

In his opinion, doing so would set a dangerous precedent as well as damage Estonia's international reputation.

A statement of support for the UN Global Compact on Migration has been scheduled for a vote in the Riigikogu on Monday.

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